Word of the Day Collection
by sanguine-fairy
Summary: Here is where I will post short ficlets that I write based on 's word of the day. They will contain a large range of Fairy Tail characters. It's a fun writing exercise that I enjoy writing and hope you enjoy as well!
1. Cloudburst

Cloudburst: \KLOUD - burst\ - A sudden and very heavy rainfall.

Juvia stared up into the clear blue sky. There wasn't a cloud in sight. The sight depressed her. It hadn't rained in months and she missed it. Nothing lifted her spirits more than a rainy afternoon. The soft pattering on the roof, the smell as it mixed with the earth, the cleaning power it had.

She sighed as she stirred her coffee. The stress from work and just life in general had been bogging her down. Her boss was overworking her, giving her assignment after assignment with no time for breaks in between. Even her friends were coming around less because she was working. Her love life was nonexistent, unless you consider her creepy co-worker constantly pestering her for a date. If she was being truthful with herself, she was at her wits end.

The surrounding people in the coffee shop's patio were all smiling, enjoying the sunshine. Their happiness was overwhelming to her, like she was in an overcrowded elevator that had just broken down. She gather her things and rush out onto the less populated street. She practiced a breathing technique she knew was supposed to calm nerves.

Even leaving the house was becoming a burden. She desperately wanted it to rain. She needed the cool droplets to wash away each and every stress and worry that clung to her. Maybe she would stand up to the slave driver that signed her checks each week and demand a vacation. Thoughts of the rainiest cities of Fiore filled her mind as she started her trek to work.

Juvia was so preoccupied thinking about rain that she didn't see the car run the red light as she began to cross the street. The screeching of tires burning on pavement jerked her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see a red car heading straight for her. It was too late by then. Time seemed to slow as the car moved towards her. The panic crept up slowly, forcing her to freeze in place. All she could do was stand there like a deer in headlights.

She barely felt the impact as she was pushed aside, a blur of black hair filled her vision as she fell to the ground. The car screech by, missing her by a foot. Strong arms pinned her to the ground, their owner panting heavily on top of her.

"Are you alright?" A deep voice floated into her mind, bringing her out of state of shock.

Juvia blinked as the man stood up in front of her, his face full of concern. He was tall and was clad in a tight black t-shirt and dark jeans. His eyes were dark, they reminded her of clouds before a storm. He looked like a dark angel sent to Earth to save her. He reached down and offered his hand to help her up. She gratefully accepted, letting him pull her to her feet. Unsteady from the shock, she fell into his chest and his arms instinctively wrapped around her.

"Are you okay?" He repeated.

Juvia stared up into his eyes and felt a drop of water on her nose. Then another one. And another. In seconds, rain started to pour down in a steady stream - a true cloud burst.

She smiled, "I am now."


	2. Immure

Immure: \ih-MYOO r\ - to shut in; seclude or confine.

Laughter filled the guildhall, the dormitory, even the town wasn't left untouched by the noise. He couldn't escape it, no matter how hard he tried, no matter how many walls he put up around himself. People smiled at him when they passed by, they asked him how his day was. The actions of these people seemed so foreign to him. He didn't understand how they could be so kind to him after everything he had done.

Gajeel had always followed directions. He did what he had to in order to survive. The only thing to show him love disappeared out of nowhere, leaving him alone. That day he lost his laughter, his joy, his father. He had been picked up by Phantom Lord at a young age. There he learned about rage, pain, and power. That's all that mattered to a Phantom Lord mage. There was no laughter, no smiling, no love. He had been used as a pawn in Jose's evil game of chess. When Makarov offered a position at Fairy Tail, Gajeel was dumbfounded. He had reluctantly agreed in the end.

Someone like him didn't belong in a place like this. He didn't deserve to be treated so warmly by the same people he had recently attacked. He was a part of the guild he single handedly destroyed only months ago. The guilt weighed down on him every time he took a step inside the guildhall, but nothing compared to the pain he felt whenever he saw that small, fiery blue-haired mage. When she was in the same room he found it difficult to breathe. All he could do was picture her pinned to that tree, the desperate look she had given him before he knocked her out, her gut wrenching screams…

She had been the most accepting of him joining Fairy Tail, going as far as defending him when the other guild members questioned his accountability to the guild. She tried initiating conversation every time she saw him, giving him that soft smile she had. It was the same smile she'd give him when she'd catch him staring at her while she was reading a book, eyes locked onto his, her glasses slipping down her nose ever so slightly. Gajeel tried to avoid her when he could. He didn't understand why she was so insistent on talking to him.

Gajeel sat at a vacant table, enjoying a hot meal before he retreated back into the confinement of his bedroom walls. The need to immure himself grew the longer he sat there. He was oblivious to his surroundings as he scarfed down his food. He didn't notice the big hazel eyes watching him from across the room. When he finished his meal, he hastily left the main hall and headed towards the dorms. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't hear the soft pattering of small feet behind him until it was too late.

"Gajeel!" a woman's voice called out to him.

He turned around to come face to face, well more like chest to face, with none other than Levy Mcgarden, the blue haired mage of his nightmares. She had him cornered in an empty hallway. The scowl on her face told him not to make a move. He averted his eyes to the floor but he could still feel her gaze focused on him.

"Finally. I have something I wanted to tell you." She told him. Gajeel hitched his breath, waiting for her next words.

"I… I forgive you!" She cried out. "I forgive you for what you did, Gajeel."

At the sound of her voice, he lifted his gaze to meet hers. Her eyes were sincere, searching his for a reaction. Levy wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He felt something crack inside of him. It was a crack in the foundation, the foundation of walls he built around his immured heart.


	3. Draconian

Draconian - rigorous; unusually severe or cruel; Draconian form of punishment

Jellal perched on the edge of the hilltop, peering into the crowded town square. The sun was directly overhead signaling the noon hour. It was a cool, spring afternoon, perfect for a stroll into town for some shopping. Jella didn't need to her shimmering scarlet hair to know she was down there. But how could he miss it? The birds chirped excitedly as if egging him to go down there. Against his better judgment he took their advice and made his way down the trail into town.

Keeping a safe distance so he wouldn't be noticed, (good luck with that blue haired Jellal) he followed Erza through the market. Jellal liked to tell himself that he was watching over her for her safety, but it was much more than that. They could never be together, Jellal knew that for certain. He had committed too many sins in his lifetime that could never be repented. But that didn't stop the way his heart raced whenever she was near. He couldn't have her, but he couldn't stay away. This was Jella's own form of punishment.

"Jellal?" He heard Erza's voice call his name.

Shit, he thought to himself. She wasn't supposed to spot him. He wasn't even supposed to be in Magnolia.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him.

Jellal panicked. He surely couldn't tell her that he had been following her all morning.

"Uh, I-I'm here…. To… pick up a gift for my fiancé!" He blurted out, instantly slapping himself mentally. Would he ever escape the hole his "fiancé" has dug for him?

Erza gave him a polite smile. Things weren't the same between them but they had reached a mutual agreement the last time they met. Despite the fact they knew they couldn't (more like shouldn't) be together, the tension between the two was at an all time high. Jellal prayed silently that Erza would move along and continue shopping and he could leave town with his tail between his legs.

"I can help you pick something out. I love shopping for other people." She smiled sincerely.

The love of his life wanted to help him shop for a gift of a fiancé that doesn't even exist. Was this hell? What kind of draconian punishment was this? His heart was screaming yes but his mind was screaming no.

"N...okay?" He sighed. Stupid. So stupid.

Erza laughed and grabbed his hand to pull him along to the next store.


	4. Fulminate

Fulminate - \FUHL-muh-neyt\ 1 To issue denunciations or the like (usually followed by against) 2. To explode with a loud noise, detonate

The courtyard in Crocus was packed with people. Being the capital city of Fiore, it wasn't unusual for it to be bustling with people. But today, Crocus was bursting at the seams with individuals. More specifically, with protesters. Nothing brings the people of Fiore together better than a corrupt monarchy and oh, how corrupt it was.

Less than 24 hours ago, a new king had been declared. Well, more like he overthrew the previous king and claimed the throne for himself. Fiore had been experiencing it's own game of thrones for the past few years and it's finally reached it's climax. The people of Fiore are pissed.

Levy slipped through the mass of people, careful not to hit anyone with her sign. With how much thought and time she put into the sign, she didn't want it getting destroyed before she joined the group of protesters in the middle of the crowd. She was quite proud of her sign. It read "super-callous-fascist-racist-extra-braga-docious" in colorful, sparkly letters. It was the perfect description of their new king, Hades.

She'd been fulminating against King Hades way before he became king. He'd been corrupting the government for years starting as a lowly advisor to the previous king. Her sign described him and his ideals to a t. This wasn't the first protest she'd been to that's main purpose was to fulminate against the king and she knew it wouldn't be her last. She wasn't about to let this evil man turn Fiore into a fascist regime. No place felt more like home than being in the middle of a peaceful, but powerful protest. Being surrounded by likeminded people who all want to see change in the world, there were no words to describe how it made her feel. Seeing all of the different, creative signs was always an adventure.

Speaking of creative signs, a bright colored one caught her attention as she neared the center of the crowd. As she got closer she was able to make out the words: super-callous-fascist… There is no way! Her jaw dropped as she realized the sign was exactly the same as her own. So much for originality.

She marched up to the owner of the sign, not sure if she was upset or elated about someone having the exact same idea as her. Either way, she needed to meet this person. The owner of the sign was tall and had bright green apple hair topped with a lightning bolt headband. The green hair didn't surprise her since her own hair was a brilliant blue color. In fact, she felt even more akin to the stranger.

Unable to catch the stranger's attention due to the loudness of their surroundings, she reached up on her tippy toes to tap them on the shoulder. After a couple taps, their head turned and curious blue eyes peered down at her.

The stranger faced her, enabling her to get a good look at him. He had a serious look to him, dressed in what some would consider business casual (emphasis on the business) and he was seriously handsome. He had eyelashes that would make any girl jealous and a mysterious air to him that Levy was instantly attracted to. What were the odds that she'd find someone with the same exact sign as her and the owner happens to be extremely attractive? It must be fate… or something. She stared at the man, much longer than most deemed appropriate. He cleared his throat, causing her to snap out of her trance.

"Hey!" She greeted him once she regained her focus, "I like your sign."

He glanced up at his sign and then down at hers. A coy smile formed on his lips, causing Levy's heart to beat faster.

"You like Mary Poppins, too?" He asked her with a laugh. "I'm Freed." He stretched his arm out towards her.

"Levy." She grabbed his hand and gave it a firm shake, reveling in the warmth of his touch.

"What are you doing after this, Levy? I don't know about you but protesting tends to make me hungry. I know a great pizza place down the street."

Levy's eyes widened slightly as the long dormant butterflies in her stomach began to flutter. Okay, okay play it cool, she told herself.

"Sure. Yes. Definitely yes." She sputtered out and instantly kicked herself mentally. Why she felt like three answers were necessary, she'll never know. What she did know was that she had lunch plans with a beautiful activist. King Hades managed to do one thing right.


	5. Flackery

Flackery \FLAK-uh-ree\ - Publicity and promotion; press-agentry.

Lucy watched the tiny blue-haired mage intently, looking for any slight change of emotion. Levy gripped the notebook tightly, holding it close to her face. It seemed like she couldn't turn the pages fast enough the way she was devouring the words. Her eyes scanned the pages quickly, not missing a single sentence. Levy was getting towards the end now causing Lucy to hold her breath.

"Lucy, it's creeping me out how you're just standing there watching me." Levy said, giving Lucy a quick look.

"Ah, right! Sorry." Lucy replied. She turned around and surveyed the guildhall. It was packed like it normally was in the afternoon but nobody paid the two girls any attention. Lucy had no idea how Levy could read in a loud environment like this.

After much convincing, Lucy was allowing Levy to read the novel she had been writing. Levy had pestered her for days constantly asking if she could read it. Why Levy was so interested was beyond her, but she trusted the solid script mage enough that she finally gave in. Who better to read her story than another bibliophile like herself? Lucy was fiercely protective of her work, not even allowing Natsu to read it no matter how much he begged. At least she knew Levy would be able to offer constructive criticism (not that she wanted to hear any of it in the first place.)

A soft sniffling sound came from behind her causing Lucy to whip around. There was Levy, clutching the notebook to her chest and had tears falling down her face.

"Levy?! Are you okay?!" Lucy panicked. She ran around the table to give her friend a hug.

"It's… just.. so… beautiful…" Levy cried between sobs. Lucy stared incredulously at girl in her arms. Was she talking about the story?

Levy slipped out of Lucy's embrace and climbed on top of the table. She lifted Lucy's notebook above her head like Simba.

"This right here is the best story I have ever read!" Levy yelled, filling the guildhall with her voice. Lucy felt her face heat up as she stood there too shocked to move.

"Lucy Heartfilia is the most incredible writer in all of Fiore! IN ALL OF EARTH LAND!" Levy was shouting at this point. The whole guild was staring at the two of them. Lucy's face was burning red.

"Levy," She whispered harshly, "Enough with this flackery!" She pulled the petite mage down from the table by her skirt. Levy gave her a sheepish smile as she handed over the notebook.

"Sorry, sorry. I just couldn't contain my excitement! It was a wonderful story, Lucy." Levy beamed.


	6. Meritorious

Meritorious \mer-i-TAWR-ee-uh s\ - Deserving praise, reward, esteem; praise worthy.

Lucy collapsed on her bed with a sign, the events from the day replaying through her mind. She'd finally snapped. As good as it had felt to finally speak her mind, she might have gone a little overboard and the gilt was starting to settle in. Maybe she shouldn't have kept it all bottled up inside to the point of explosion. But maybe Natsu should have realized what he's been doing is wrong.

' _Don't even think of sneaking into my house tonight, Natsu. You're NOT welcome!'_

She tried not to think of the hurt look on Natsu's face before she had stomped out of the guildhall.

That morning she had woken up to her house in a mess. Her kitchen was full of dirty dishes and empty of food. A job posting involving some monster had greeted her on the kitchen counter. All sure signs that Natsu had invaded her privacy, again, while she had been sleeping.

He was always leaving her house in a mess. Always dragging her along to jobs she didn't want to do. Never letting her choose a job. Always walking all over her.

Enough was enough.

Sleep began to creep up as the adrenaline from telling Natsu how she really felt was wearing off. At least she could look forward to waking up to an empty house, for once.

* * *

Sunlight filtering through her window woke Lucy up. She had slept hard, the bed marks across her arms and chest gave her an idea of how deeply she slept. She almost forgot about the events from the day before. Almost.

She begrudgingly left her bed, thinking about coffee and cleaning the pig stye her house had become. The smell of coffee greeted her as she walked down the stairs. She paused at the bottom of the steps. She didn't remember setting the coffee pot to auto brew last night.

"Natsu…" Lucy growled as her anger from yesterday flooded back. He doesn't even like coffee!

She stomped into the kitchen, ready to give the dragon slayer a piece of her mind, and stopped dead in her tracks at the doorway. The kitchen was… clean. Sparkling clean. The sink was empty. There was a full pot of coffee waiting on the counter. Next to the coffee pot was a white bag and a note. She recognized the chicken scratch handwriting instantly.

 _Luce,_

 _I'm sorry… for everything. I got you some groceries and cleaned up my mess. The coffee is fresh and there is a hot bath waiting for you upstairs. Those are fresh bagels from the bakery in town. I made a list of all the things I've done wrong and I promise not to do them again._

 _-Natsu_

Lucy smiled to herself as she looked around at her clean kitchen. It's hard to believe Natsu did all of these meritorious acts just for her. Maybe she should have said something sooner. She knew he wasn't a bad guy… just a little oblivious sometimes.

After pouring herself some coffee, she grabbed the bag of bagels and headed up to her bathroom. She'd go find Natsu after she took a nice long bath and set up some ground rules with him. No more walking all over her… although she wouldn't mind him sneaking in if he brought breakfast every time.


	7. Middlescence

Middlescence \mid-l-ES-uh ns\ - The middle-age period of life, especially when considered a difficult time of self-doubt and readjustment.

Jellal stared hard at his reflection in the mirror. 39 years of wear and tear lined his face, joining the red lines that covered one side. He reached up to trace the intricate design, something he could do with his eyes closed. He's had it for as long as he could remember. A strange birthmark that gained him looks everywhere he went.

He used to wear it proudly, daring strangers to stare. These days he wasn't sure. Maybe it was because he was in his middlescence, but the red lines seemed out of place. The words spoken by his thirteen year old daughter echoed through his mind. "It's weird, dad. Everyone talks about you when you drop me off. Why don't you just get rid of it?" The whispers had started to get louder. Was it weird? The words had stung.

Jellal loosed a breath as he dropped his hand from his face and reached for his phone. He'd tried calling about twenty times now, always hanging up before the first ring finished. Taking one last glance in the mirror, he clicked the number and brought the phone to his ear.

It rang three times before someone answered.

"Hello. This is Jellal Fernandes and I'd like to schedule an appoint to get a birthmark removed."


	8. Oscitant

**Oscitant \OS-i-tuh nt\ - drowsy or inattentive**

 **The ability to keep his eyes open was getting increasingly difficult the longer Rufus droned on. He probably had important things to say but Sting was much too oscitant to care. His attention was focused on the man standing in the shadows who happened to be sleeping. A smirk crept onto Sting's lips as the memories of the prior night flooded into his mind.**

 **They had finally had a night alone, a night of peace and quiet. Lector was busy keeping Frosch entertained elsewhere, Sting would have to thank Lector for that later. The rest of Sabertooth had been off on their own, preparing for today's guild meeting. While that might have also been Rogue's intention when he stopped by, Sting had much different plans.**

 **He hadn't been able to keep his hands off of the shadow mage and soon his needs had been met with an even great want. Before they knew it, the sun had already started to rise. Sting would readily give up sleep if it meant he could spend every night like he had the night before.**

 **The smirk that had crept onto his face faltered as Rufus cleared his throat loudly, bringing Sting back into the present moment.**

 **"** **As I was saying…" Rufus begun again.**

 **** **Sting quickly diverted his eyes from the still sleeping Rogue to lock eyes with Minerva. She raised an eyebrow at him, giving him a knowing look. He looked away, a light blush flushing his cheeks. Curse her and her ever observant stare.**

* * *

 **A/N** : Hello! I always forget that I can say some things if I wanted to. This was actually a word of the day back in February that I started but wasn't feeling too much so I revived it :) Minerva always knows, am I right?


	9. Affable

Affable \af-uh-buh l\ - 1. friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to. 2. Showing warmth and friendliness; benign; pleasant

Silver swirled the amber liquid around in the glass before taking another sip. The liquid fire burned its way down his throat until it warmed his belly. Bourbon seemed to be the only thing to bring warmth to the frozen pit in his chest these days. That's probably the reason the bartender has the drink waiting for him before he reaches the bar.

A body slid into the seat next to him at the bar, his peripheral vision showing a burly man with shaggy, shoulder length brown hair. Silver couldn't be bothered to acknowledge his presence.

"Bourbon, neat." The stranger ordered, eliciting a glance from Silver. That was the same drink he was currently nursing in his hands.

"Good choice." Silver murmured with a nod in the man's direction. He took another sip.

"Cheers." The stranger flashed him an affable smile before taking a sip of his own drink.

The man looked familiar somehow but Silver couldn't place where he'd seen him before. He just faintly remembered seeing the long brown hair, the same color of the liquid he was swirling around in his glass, before. He shrugged off the thought and took another sip. Silver could feel a pair of eyes sizing him up from beside him.

"How's your son?" The stranger asked, causing Silver to choke on his drink.

So that's how he recognized him. Silver had seen the man dropping his daughter off at the same preschool he takes his son, Gray. If Silver recalled correctly, his daughter's name is Cana and she is good friends with Gray. Gray talks about her all of the time at home.

"Gray is doing well. He's looking forward to this week's field trip. How is your daughter, Cana?" The man looked surprised at Silver's use of his daughter's name.

"Cana is… staying out of trouble." The man said with a chuckle. It was true that both of their children like to be troublemakers together. He's seen her name on multiple incident reports he's signed for Gray.

"I don't know how those teachers handle them, Gray is already a handful on his own. I can't imagine the two of them together." Silver said, chuckling along with Cana's dad. He found himself warming up to the man easily, the conversation continued effortlessly.

The two of them talked for a while, the conversation never lulling once. Silver found the man affable and maybe it was just the bourbon talking, but he found him quite attractive as well. Maybe it was the hair, maybe it was the broad shoulders. Silver's cheeks were sore from smiling, something he hasn't felt in years.

The man glanced at his watch. "Looks like I've got to get out of here."

Silver frowned slightly, not wanting the conversation to end. "I'll walk you out. I've got to get going as well.

The man nodded and Silver followed him through the bar towards the entrance. The midday sun caused the two of them to squint at the sudden brightness. Silver hesitated, not wanting to say goodbye.

"It was nice to meet you…" The man trailed off, not knowing what to call him.

"Silver. Likewise." Silver paused, waiting for the man to give his name.

"Gildarts." He said with a smile, reaching out his hand for a handshake.

Silver grabbed Gildarts' hand, reveling in its warmth. A moment passed and neither man moved to withdraw their hand. Silver took one more look at Gildarts' face and yanked him forward, kissing him before his shocked yelp could escape his lips.

Gildarts stiffened momentarily, making Silver regret his sudden boldness but as Gildarts melted into the kiss, so did Silver's worries.


	10. True-blue

True-blue /troo-bloo/ - unwaveringly loyal or faithful; staunch; unchangingly true.

Natsu's mouth was watering before he saw the waitresses walking towards him with their arms full of food. His dragon slayer enhanced nose had led him to the best smelling restaurant in Margaret Town, he was sure of it. If there was anything he could trust 100% it was his nose. The waitresses started to place the food in front of him, each waitress giving him a wary look like they weren't sure such a boy could put down so much food all by himself.

"It's just going to be you, right?" One of them asked, looking around the restaurant.

Natsu flashed her a wide grin, "Just me!"

The waitress shook her head as she walked away from the table. It was a good thing they sat him in the secluded corner of the restaurant because things were about to get messy.

Wasting no time, Natsu dug right into the meal meant for a small army. His nose hadn't disappointed him this time, the food was delicious. He could feel the shocked stares from the restaurant staff as he finished three plates of food within five minutes. They didn't dare come by and interrupt him to ask him how it was. They'd have to be blind to not tell he wasn't enjoying it by the way he ate like it was going to be his last meal.

A familiar voice floated through the restaurant causing Natsu to pause mid-bite.

"Gray? The best ice mage in Fiore? You have got to be kidding me. You're talking to the best ice mage in all of Earthland right now."

A scowl formed on Natsu's face as he tried to remember where he'd heard that voice before. No one talked about Gray like that, especially without Gray to defend himself.

Natsu looked around until he spotted a familiar face sitting at the bar. Lyon Vastia. That second rank ice mage was sitting at the bar talking about one of Fairy Tail's strongest mages. Natsu put down his soup, forgetting his hunger in an instant. In one swift movement, he got up from the table and strode towards where Lyon was seated.

"That stripper would never be able to defeat me in an ice-off. He wouldn't even come close! He'd have to use ice shell against me to even think of defeating me," Lyon laughed to his companion.

The blood coursing through Natsu started to boil. No one but Natsu was allowed to talk about Gray like that and that's because Natsu wasn't afraid to say it to his face. That was their friendly competition, not cowardly words said behind his back.

"That stripper wouldn't even have to use both hands to defeat you and send you running back home to your guild," Natsu growled, startling the ice make mage.

"Natsu!" Lyon chuckled nervously, "Fancy seeing you in Margaret Town. I was just having some friendly banter about our good friend, Gray."

Natsu narrowed his eyes, "If I remember correctly, it was our good friend Gray who defeated you the last time you two fought. I'd suggest keeping his name out of your mouth if you know what's good for you."

Not letting Lyon respond, Natsu turned around and made his way towards the exit. Lyon's companion snickered as Lyon stared at the retreating Natsu.

"That is one true-blue friend you've got, Gray."


	11. Centenarian

Centenarian \sen-tn-air-ee-uh n\ - A person who has reached the age of 100.

Raindrops streaked down the window, distorting Lucy's poor vision of the garden even further. Despite the lack of clarity, even on sunny days, she frequented the spot next to the window. Something about the garden soothed her. It might be the pink roses that grew next to her room or maybe it was the bright red tulips that reminded her of her late friends. The flowers made her feel like she wasn't alone.

But she was. She was very alone.

It was difficult to notice, in the beginning. Each birthday, at first, had been filled with her friends, _her family,_ but as the number of her years increased the number of her friends decreased. It was to be expected, being a mage was dangerous work. Lucy didn't think she'd outlive them all. Time had been the biggest enemy she'd ever faced.

She was a centenarian now. 100 years have passed. Alive for a whole century, but it didn't feel that way.

Every friend she'd lost felt like losing a piece of her soul, her life. Lucy Heartfilia had been dead for a long time.


	12. Sinker

Sinker \sing-ker\ - A person or thing that sinks.

Resilient.

Juvia knows that word well and wears it proudly. She can see it in her eyes, the way they light up when she smiles. She can feel it in the lightness of her steps as she skips around. She can feel it in the buoyancy of her heart, how it stays afloat even after every hardship she's been through.

Until now.

Her elastic feelings have been turned into glass, shattering at a glance instead of bouncing right back. The wait must have worn her heart thin, hope being the only thing that kept her afloat all this time. Those four words turned her heart into lead.

"I don't love you."

Her heart was a sinker, after all. She felt it sink to the bottom of her stomach, settling down like a shipwreck on the ocean floor. Her whole body felt heavy, like she'd sink to the bottom of the world as well.

She wasn't sure what fell first, the rain or her tear, but she knew neither would stop anytime soon.


End file.
